Length of Stay Greater than the Number of Days Allowed?

[Luv2PixieDust]

Hi All,

I was checking availability and got an error message about the length of stay. I only get this message for dates longer than 2 weeks.

Is there a time limit on how long you can stay at a DVC resort?

 

[drusba]

There is no limit on number of days except the number of points you have. However, the computer program for making on-line reservations allows you to do no more than two weeks; you have to call if you want to do more at one time or make the one for two weeks on-line and then call and add days.

Other limitations are that you cannot book more than 7 nights at exactly 11 (or 7 at a non-owned resort) months out. That is both a system and DVC limitation (you can add more nights as the days progress). Moreover, the computer system will not let you make a reservation if your dates straddle your use years, e.g., you want 7 nights, 4 at end of one use year and 3 in the beginning of the next. That again is a computer limitation not a DVC limitation.

 

[DVC Jen]

I have always booked 10 nights at exactly 11 months out and also at exactly 7 months out without any issues at all.

 

[drusba]

Then something is happenning that should not or you are not doing the reservation 11 (or 7) months from date of arrival. For the rest of us when we go to book exactly 11 (or 7) months out from date of arrival, we are not allowed to designate in the departure date calendar a date that is more than a week away from the arrival date. If you call to make that same reservation you will also not be allowed to book more than 7 nights.

 

[JWG]

I have always booked 10 nights at exactly 11 months out and also at exactly 7 months out without any issues at all.

That's not supposed to happen.

 

[LisaS]

I have always booked 10 nights at exactly 11 months out and also at exactly 7 months out without any issues at all.

I just tried to book 10 nights 11 months from check-in (check in date of Feb 12, 2015) and it would not let me do it. I also tried booking a non-home resort for 10 nights at 7 months from check-in (Oct 12, 2014) and it would not let me do that either.

When selecting the dates I tried using the little calendar that pops up and when booking 11 months from check-in the dates beyond 7 nights are greyed out so I could not select a check-out date more than 7 nights from check-in. I tried entering the dates manually rather than clicking on the popup calendar and it didn't complain until I clicked the button to check availability and then I got a message in red text that there was a problem with the dates I had entered.

So how are you managing to do this? As drusba posted, any chance you were booking 11 or 7 months from your check out date instead of your check in date?

 

[DVC Jen]

I dunno - but I made my reservation for 10 nights at exactly the 11 month window.

 

[LisaS]

I dunno - but I made my reservation for 10 nights at exactly the 11 month window.

And you did this 11 months from your check IN date, not your check OUT date?

The reason we're curious is because back when we had to wait to book 11 months from check-OUT, we could book as many nights as we wanted. The 7-night limit was introduced when they changed the booking rules to allow us to book 11 months from check-IN. So if you missed the announcement (and many did) that we can now book 11 months from check-in, what you are describing would make perfect sense.

If you do book 11 months from check-IN and have found a loophole, we're curious about that too!

 

[magicaldisney]

I have always booked 10 nights at exactly 11 months out and also at exactly 7 months out without any issues at all.

Curious how you were able to do this. Even if you call MS at the 11 month mark you can't book more than the 7 nights. Please share how you can do this. I would love to be able to book all my nights at one time.

 

[bakerworld]

I dunno - but I made my reservation for 10 nights at exactly the 11 month window.

There's now a note on the DVC member site about only booked 7 nights - this is new.

 

[CarolMN]

There's now a note on the DVC member site about only booked 7 nights - this is new.

The note is probably new because MS got a lot of questions about it. It's in their and members' best interests to reduce the number of calls.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

There is no limit on number of days except the number of points you have. However, the computer program for making on-line reservations allows you to do no more than two weeks; you have to call if you want to do more at one time or make the one for two weeks on-line and then call and add days.

Other limitations are that you cannot book more than 7 nights at exactly 11 (or 7 at a non-owned resort) months out. That is both a system and DVC limitation (you can add more nights as the days progress). Moreover, the computer system will not let you make a reservation if your dates straddle your use years, e.g., you want 7 nights, 4 at end of one use year and 3 in the beginning of the next. That again is a computer limitation not a DVC limitation.

Ok I'm glad you added that's a computer limitation not a DVC limitation- although now it means I have to call? And I'll have to call often, because our use year is on my BIRTHDAY. Go figure. So anytime we wanna stay over my birthday- I'm gonna have to call unless I want to check out the day before my birthday or start the day after. (not likely)
grrr I was wondering why last night it was allowing me to look at next year thru 7/30 but then suddenly today thru 8/1 it was saying greater than the length of stay allowed even if I only tried to book 5 nights.

sighhhhhhhhhhhh this wasn't something I was told (gonna have to call anytime over 7nights and anytime at our use year- and yes the lady that sold to us on DCL was informed our use year date was my birthday LOL)

Actually I shortened it to ONE day and it still says greater than the number of days allowed. so something is wrong........

 

[drusba]

I am not clear on the issues you are having but there is a way you can make reservations on line for a trip that straddles your use year without having to call MS and suffer the ridiculously long wait times that now exist when you call. You just make two separate reservations, one at 11 months out from the nights you can get with your initial use year, and the other at 11 months out from the nights that fall within your subsequent use year. After making the second reservation, you send an email to MS setting out the two reservations you have and reservation numbers and request MS to link or combine the two reservations so you do not have to change rooms. You'll get a response about five days later saying it has been done. To send that email you sign into the DVC member site; on the first page at the top right you will see and click on a link for "Help & Contact"; and on the page that comes up click on the envelope shaped icon under "Contact Us."

As to the 7 night rule, that applies only when reserving exactly 11 months out (or 7 for non-home resort) and applies whether you go on line or call. If for example, you don't attempt to reserve until 8 months out, you could reserfve up to three months (if you have the points for it) if you call MS or two weeks if you go online. If you want more than seven nights at 11 months out, you can also do that on line by making more than one reservation and emailing to have them combined or linked, e.g., you want 10 nihgts, go online at 11 months out and reserve 7 nights, three days later go online and make a second reservation for the last three nights and then send the email to MS.

 

[apple9117]

I am not clear on the issues you are having but there is a way you can make reservations on line for a trip that straddles your use year without having to call MS and suffer the ridiculously long wait times that now exist when you call. You just make two separate reservations, one at 11 months out from the nights you can get with your initial use year, and the other at 11 months out from the nights that fall within your subsequent use year. After making the second reservation, you send an email to MS setting out the two reservations you have and reservation numbers and request MS to link or combine the two reservations so you do not have to change rooms. You'll get a response about five days later saying it has been done. To send that email you sign into the DVC member site; on the first page at the top right you will see and click on a link for "Help & Contact"; and on the page that comes up click on the envelope shaped icon under "Contact Us."

As to the 7 night rule, that applies only when reserving exactly 11 months out (or 7 for non-home resort) and applies whether you go on line or call. If for example, you don't attempt to reserve until 8 months out, you could reserfve up to three months (if you have the points for it) if you call MS or two weeks if you go online. If you want more than seven nights at 11 months out, you can also do that on line by making more than one reservation and emailing to have them combined or linked, e.g., you want 10 nihgts, go online at 11 months out and reserve 7 nights, three days later go online and make a second reservation for the last three nights and then send the email to MS.

Thanks so much for this, super helpful and clarified things for me...